5D Printer📃

I've been working so much overtime lately that I feel like crying just seeing my own reflection in the mirror.

One night.
Nanaka was the only one left in the office.

The printer in the corner of the room suddenly started moving with a clattering sound.

Huh? No one is printing anything...

Suspicious, she went to check and found a piece of paper lying under the printer's output tray.

It read as follows:

《No. 1: Confirmation complete. Starting activation of No. 2.》

...Huh? A malfunction!?

The moment she reached out to take the paper while thinking that,
a human finger slid out from the printer's output slot.

The finger gently beckoned toward Nanaka.

Aaaah!!!

Nanaka let out a shriek and ran away.

She wanted to take the next day off work out of fear, but she couldn't.
While she was making coffee in the break room during lunch, a voice came from behind her.

Hello. I am your No. 2.

When she turned around, a woman with the exact same face as her was standing there.

Only her expression was just a little bit cold.
Nanaka froze, nearly dropping her cup.

...A copy, you came out of the printer?

Yes, that printer is a 22nd-century product. There are several 5D printers installed in this era as well. The human copying function has finally stabilized recently.

Human copy...

Nanaka No. 2 smiled and said.

"Since I'm a copy, I want to help you. First, I'll take over your overtime work."

"U-um... that's helpful, but..."

When evening came and Nanaka finished her shift to go home, the lights in the conference room were on.
Wondering who it was, she peeked inside and saw Nanaka No. 3 and Nanaka No. 4 creating documents.

"Welcome, Original. We are good at making documents, you see."

"Nanaka No. 5 is scheduled to come to work tomorrow."

The original Nanaka was stunned.

A few days later, the copies had increased even more.

Nanaka No. 7 automatically generated presentation materials.
Nanaka No. 9 was a master of handling phone calls.
Nanaka No. 11 was in charge of just nodding appropriately during meetings.

Nanaka's apartment room was already full of Nanakas.

"I took your sleep for you."
Nanaka No. 15 said with a smile.

"What do you mean!?"

"So that you wouldn't feel sleepy even if you didn't sleep, I slept a full 8 hours in your place."

"W-wait a minute! Don't go using up my right to sleep without asking!"

The room's intercom rang again.
What was shown on the monitor was Nanaka No. 20.
"I bought pork on sale, mushroom soup, and shiratama mix at the supermarket in front of the station."

"Let's also divide up our living space to improve life efficiency."
Nanaka No. 15 said.

"No way!? Why are you dividing up my life too!?"

"In order to maintain your existence as the original Nanaka, you must minimize the consumption of telomeres in your cells. We will have you reduce the burden of daily life as much as possible."

"No, my burden hasn't been reduced at all!?"

At that moment, the voices of other Nanakas came from behind her.

"I am in charge of dreaming."

I am in charge of appetite.

I am the one who relieves stress.

The Nanakas in the room spoke one after another.
Then, I'll make mushroom soup now.
Someone bring in the laundry! The Roomba is broken. You have to clean properly!

What is this...
Nanaka could only watch over the Nanakas.

And then, one night.

The copies lined up and stood in front of the original Nanaka.

Number 1, the representative, announced.

Original, thank you for your hard work. You are working too much. So, from now on, we will continue being 'you'.

Continue... what do you mean?

Number 1 said with a gentle smile.

Starting tomorrow, you will become 'Number 0', dedicated to rest.

The room lights went out, and the copies slowly approached.

Please rest. We will do your entire life for you.

Nanaka backed away, but Nanaka Number 16 gently took her hand.

It's okay. You don't have to do anything.

She said, smiling.

That smile was exactly the same as Nanaka's, but it was somehow washed out and empty.

The next morning, 20 Nanakas went to work at the company.

However, the colleagues, as if brainwashed, did not find it suspicious at all.

The employee roster had already been rewritten to
Haruno Nanaka (1-20)
.

Around that time, the original Nanaka was lying on the floor of her apartment, staring blankly at the ceiling.

"Even if I'm told I don't have to cook, don't have to do chores, and can just rest... I don't even feel like writing an essay for note, so what am I supposed to do...?"

Just then, the printer in the room was enveloped in a strange light, and before long, it began to move on its own with a loud clattering sound.

《No. 21: Startup sequence complete》

Nanaka covered her face.
"I can't take this anymore!!"

"Hello, I am Nanaka No. 21."